Windermere Village Festival of the Arts

As artist Romero Britto once said, “Art is too important not to share.”

Thanks to Muskoka Chautauqua & Opera Muskoka, the picturesque community of Windermere will be host to the first annual Windermere Village Festival of the Arts, running from August 19 t0 23.

Featuring OperaMuskoka, this artistic explosion will feature a week of intimate concerts, workshops, exhibitions, and more. And, they want you to join in on this multi-day, multi-disciplinary festival and feel the creative magic in Muskoka’s air for yourself.

Read on to learn more about this intimate festival that is sure to become a staple of Muskoka’s arts and culture calendar!

The Festival

Bringing you up close and personal with a range of art forms – visual, performative, and auditory – the events schedule includes:

Monday, August 19 – Friday, August 23
Artists-In-Residence
1pm – 3pm daily
Windermere Village Hall
Admission by donation, advance tickets not required

Monday, August 19
Preview of Alcuin Awards Display
Windermere Village Hall
Admission by donation, advance tickets not required

Monday, August 19
Heritage Walk 4PM
Windermere Village Hall
Admission by donation, advance tickets not required

Tuesday, August 20
La Traviata Opening Night & Visual Arts Exhibit: 7:30 PM
OperaMuskoka / Toronto City Opera
Rene Caisse Theatre, Bracebridge
Tickets available online or at the door

Wednesday, August 21
Stars of Tomorrow Concert: 7:30 PM
OperaMuskoka
Rene Caisse Theatre, Bracebridge
Tickets available online or at the door

Thursday, August 22
Mississauga Symphony Orchestra Concert: 7:30 PM
New Baldwins Resort, Windermere
Tickets available online or at the door

Friday, August 23
Art Party
from 4pm – 6pm
New Baldwins Resort, Windermere
Admission by donation, advance tickets not required

Friday, August 23
Jennifer Tung Concert: 7:30pm
Christ Church Windermere
Tickets available online or at the door

One highlight the festival’s organizers are especially looking forward to is the involvement of Jennifer Tung, who they met roughly 20-years ago (when she was still a student). Now, Tung is now a recognizable figure in the Toronto musical community and is currently a faculty member for the Royal Conservancy and the Glenn Gould School. She will be leading a workshop and performing a concert on Friday, so don’t miss this chance to meet the musical master.

Background

Why Windermere, you may ask? Well, the Chautauqua movement actually has deep roots in this community – after World War I, Tobin Island in Lake Rosseau became the first permanent location for a Canadian Chautauqua Institution.

Today’s Muskoka Chautauqua is an artistic community that designs and delivers multi-disciplinary arts-based programs that inspire personal growth and enrichment by creativity for all ages.

Organizing the Windermere Village Festival of the Arts has very much been a labour of many loves at Muskoka Chautauqua, who are driven by their personal passion for the arts and a deep desire to foster the local creative community – plus, they have the experience and savvy to bring this festival to life. Each year they hope to help it grow more and more, in a sustainable way that benefits the community and its guests.

Other Artful Offerings

There are tons of ways that you, too, can become a part of Muskoka Chautauqua’s vibrant community of arts and culture any time of the year! Pay a visit to their gallery space and, in the summertime, partake in their Artist-in-Residence or Theatre Wednesdays/Thursdays programs.

Visit their website for more information on those programs and much more!

Perfect Partners

The events’ organizers wish to thank their partners – Dot the T, OperaMuskoka, the local chapter of the Archeological Conservancy for Muskoka, Muskoka Lakes Township, Metroland Media, the “New” Baldwin Resort, Cleveland House, the local Recreation Centre, Christ Church Windermere, the Mississauga Symphony Orchestra, Toronto City Opera.